While speaking to a leading US daily, Hanks said that “being rich and famous and powerful” was no excuse of doing anything like this.

He said, “Just because you’re rich and famous and powerful doesn’t mean you aren’t in some ways a big fat a**. Excuse me, take away ‘fat.’ But I’m not, you know, I’m not the first person to say Harvey’s a bit of an a**. Poor Harvey -- I’m not going to say poor Harvey, Jesus. Isn’t it kind of amazing that it took this long. I’m reading it and I’m thinking ‘You can’t do that to Ashley Judd! Hey, I like her. Don’t do that. That ain’t fair. Not her, come on. Come on.”

In a statement posted on Twitter, Gosling said, “I want to add my voice of support for the women, who have had the courage to speak out against Harvey Weinstein. Like most people in Hollywood, I have worked with him and I’m deeply disappointed in myself for being so oblivious to these devastating experiences of sexual harassment and abuse.”

“He is emblematic of a systemic problem. Men should stand with women and work together until there is real accountability and change.”

In the wake of the scandal, Weinstein, who is believed to have checked into rehab in Arizona, has split from his wife Georgina Chapman and been sacked from the Weinstein Company. His actions have also been condemned by big names in Hollywood, including Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Kate Winslet, George Clooney, Angelina Jolie, and Dame Judi Dench.

It has been confirmed by the police in New York and London that they are investigating Weinstein for sexual assault.